Thursday, May 06, 2010

Get married in the ruins of a medieval church

Couples interested in being married in a medieval setting now have the option of having their wedding take place in the ruins of two medieval churches on the Swedish island of Gotland. Gotland Museums has opened up the 14th century Church of St Karin and the smaller Church of the Holy Spirit, which was built around 1200, for these occasions.

According to The Local, Gotland Museums will allow weddings and other events to be held in these venues, with the revenues going towards the maintenance and preservation of these medieval landmarks.

"Cultural heritage is an integral part of the living world heritage site that is Visby. The church ruins are an asset for the city and tourism which should be made use of, but also used with care," said museum head Lars Sjösvärd in a statement. He added, "The revenues from the rentals will be re-invested in the church ruins development and management and in the longer term their use will guarantee their preservation."

Already twenty couples have booked to have their weddings take place there this summer. St Karin's has room for 500 guests and can also be used for theatre performances and concerts. Meanwhile, the Church of the Holy Spirit can accommodate up to 100 people.

The town of Visby was founded in the 10th century and was one of the members of the Hanseatic League. Because of their medieval landmarks, which includes a well-preserved wall, Visby was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.